Portrait of Félix Bracquemond in 1852, from "L'Art" 1878

Here we see Félix Bracquemond depicted in a print from "L'Art", showing him as he appeared in 1852. Though undated, this portrait provides a window into the life of a 19th-century artist. Bracquemond, a central figure in the revival of printmaking, is captured here with the tools of his trade. The etching medium allowed for a democratization of art, making it more accessible across different social strata, thus challenging the traditional hierarchy of art consumption which had previously been reserved for the upper classes. What is significant in this portrait is the artist’s self-fashioning. He presents himself as a figure of artistic authority and intellectual depth, perhaps reflecting his desire to elevate the status of printmaking to that of other fine arts. How does this self-image speak to the aspirations and self-perceptions of artists in a rapidly changing society?